


The Triforce

by Marviscatstone



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Childhood Friends, Dark is Link's brother, Eldin's A+ Parenting, Friendship, I'm Sorry, Link flirts, M/M, Sad, Sad Ending, Sheik is Zelda's brother, Suicide, Zelda gets angry, stop me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:00:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24526507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marviscatstone/pseuds/Marviscatstone
Summary: There was never a war. There was never a fight. People didn't hate each other. Everything was perfect and Ganondorf was good.Until he wasn't.Or:AU where Ganondorf, Link and Zelda were friends and Ganondorf decided to never hurt them.
Relationships: Ganondorf & Link (Legend of Zelda), Ganondorf & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

"Link!"

Zelda ran up to him, grinning brightly, blue eyes shining. "I'm here! Hylia let me come!"

"That's great!" He really meant it. Hylia was a good mother, but she tended to be a helicopter parent, so the times he got to see Zelda were few and far between. She was always so excited and bubbly when she got to see him. After being cooped up so long she inevitably had a lot to talk about.

"So...?" She fidgeted nervously and Link abruptly realized she had been talking.

"Uh, sorry, what?"

She rolled her eyes. "Is Ganon here or not?"

"Oh, I see how it is. Your lifelong friend suddenly takes second place the minute someone new comes along?" He couldn't help teasing her, even though he knew it wasn't true.

She swatted him, as expected. "No, you idiot, I love you. But I am allowed to have other friends!"

He grabbed her around the waist and squeezed her in a tight hug. "No, I don't think so. I want my princess all to myself!"

She squealed and wriggled. "No! Link! Let go! Ganon! Help!"

"What are you fools fighting about now?" Ganondorf stumbled down the stairs, rubbing sleep from his eyes, red mane messy around his shoulders. "Link, what are you doing?"

Link grinned at Ganondorf from around Zelda's hair but otherwise didn't answer.

"He's being _stupid_ and he won't let me go! Make him stop!"

Ganondorf raised an eyebrow and glanced at Link. Link winked at him and wiggled his fingers into Zelda's ribs, making her squirm.

Ganondorf raised his hands in the air, stepping closer. "Sorry, Zelda. Other things first."

"What _other things—_ EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Zelda shrieked as Ganondorf tickled her sides, Link quickly joining in. Together, they pressed her to the floor, tickling her until she was breathless from laughing.

She managed to glare at them through her panting. "You... guys... are so... _mean._ "

Link rubbed his side where she had kicked him. "Your skirt is messed up. Besides, you started it when you hit me."

Zelda yanked her skirt back down. "I hate you."

"No you don't. You already said you love me. No take backs."

"Wha... You told Link you love him and not me?" Ganondorf fixed her with a mock pout. "Princess, I'm hurt."

"Fine." Zelda stood up, brushing off her dress. "Come here."

Ganondorf shared a bemused look with Link, but stepped in front of her.

"I love you too." Zelda stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to Ganon's cheek. "Mwah."

"Hey, I didn't get a kiss!" Link complained.

"He's a prince. People kiss his cheek all the time. If I tried to kiss _your_ cheek, you'd try to turn it into something else." She shook her finger at Link as he opened his mouth to protest. "Don't even. We all know you would."

Link gave Ganondorf a "help me" look. Ganon shrugged, a far-too-smug look on his face. "Sorry. You know she's right."

"Betrayal," Link muttered. "If you two are going to gang up on me, I'm sleeping alone."

"Nooo, I wanna cuddle." Zelda latched onto his arm, dragging him down. "Please don't go, we're soooorry."

"Oof, Zelda, when did you get so heavy?" Link stumbled as she leaned more of her weight into him. "Ganon!"

Ganon huffed in annoyance. "Why can you two never fix your own problems without me?" He scooped Zelda up in his arms. "There. Better?"

"Um..." Now he was being pulled upward. Why did Ganon have to be so tall? "Can she let go?"

"Zelda..."

"Fine, fine." She let go of Link's arm and wrapped her arms around Ganon's neck. "How do you keep getting so buff? Do all the Gerudo women throw themselves at you because you're so hot?"

Ganondorf snorted. "They would anyway. Their options are limited otherwise." He hefted her higher so he could put an arm under her knees, cradling her in a princess carry. "Let's go back to bed. It's too early for this." He started up the stairs.

Zelda waved at Link over Ganon's shoulder and gestured down, mouthing, _You know you want that._

Link looked where she was pointing. What— oh.

Face flaming red, he mouthed back at her furiously. _Shut up._

She grinned.

"Link?" Ganon called. "You coming?"

"Y-yeah," Link stuttered and followed him up the stairs, keeping his eyes firmly on Ganondorf's back and not letting his gaze drop any lower. _Stupid Zelda._


	2. 2: Dreaming and Comforts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link dreams of the past and wakes up in a panic. Thankfully, his brother is there to soothe him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I posted this at midnight and I don't know anything about coronations or knighting ceremonies.

_Everything was dark. The sky was clouded over with dull purple wisps, like tendrils reaching through the sky to poison the heavens themselves. The weak light that filtered through cast the land in a spectral glow, reminiscent of the evil ahead of him, winding around the castle like spider silk wrapped around a struggling insect. Zelda's essence flickered within it, a faint pulse, like a dying heartbeat._

_He took a deep breath, feeling the familiar weight of the Master Sword settle on his shoulder. He could do this. He had fought battle after battle, assisted all the townspeople and cleared every temple._ _All that was left to do was rid the land of the last trace of the miasma._

_He trotted up the jagged stairs, up to the ruined tower. One final fight and he could rest, no more heroics. He would finally be free of this weight he carried, had carried for every life. Would this life end like the others, another battle to tear him from his complacency? Or would this one end the way he always wished for, time to relax and retire from the world that always needed his help one more time._

_He cleared the threshold, breathing shallow in the thick spark-filled fog that blanketed the room. The room was empty, save for a limp figure slumped in the throne._

_He knew it was a trap, just like all the others, but he couldn't stop himself from running across the room to Zelda's side. He scooped her up in his arms, wishing he had a voice to call her name with. Her eyelids fluttered and a gasp escaped his lips, hope burning in his chest in spite of the fact he instantly knew it wouldn't be her who spoke._

_"So brave of you to come this far, **hero.** "_

_Link stumbled back at the voice emanating from Zelda's throat, harsh and gravelly. His hand went to his sword, readying for the fight._

_"How sweet. You wouldn't harm your precious beloved princess, would you, boy?"_

_Would he?_

_As her body lifted off the ground, he couldn't help the tears that stung his eyes. It wasn't as though he had never fought Zelda before when she was possessed or fake, but it was always too much. Ganon was good. She didn't look like a limp doll, puppeted by invisible strings. She wasn't too pale, or anything that might give her away. It was his Zelda. Bright blue eyes, long yellow-gold hair, laughing as she tried to kill him._

_He hated it when she screamed._

_She was purified now, and Ganondorf had to leave her body. He chuckled as he kicked her exhausted form into a corner. Link winced in sympathy, but at least she was out of the way. Ganondorf formed a large sword from the air and swung it down. Link took a deep breath. This was it. Just this last fight and he and Zelda would be alright._

_He **couldn't** do this._

_Memories flitted across his mind, sharp and fresh, shredding his determination and scraping him open, raw and vulnerable._

_"Link?"_

_Link looked up from the floor. Tears blurred his vision, but he knew that dark shape._

_Ganondorf bent to gather Link into his arms. "What is it? What's wrong?"_

_Link made an incoherent sound and snarled in frustration. He wished he could **speak.** Ganondorf patted his arm. "It's okay. Can I guess?"_

_Link nodded._

_ "Zelda?" Link shook his head. "Not Zelda. Anyone in the castle? Anyone in town?" Link shook his head. What could he **say?** _

_ Link held out his hand, palm flat and walked two fingers over it. Then, he took out his hand and stabbed the walking fingers with his pointer finger, making them fall over. _

_ "Someone was killed?" Link nodded. "Who..." Ganondorf's eyes widened. "Your father." _

_ Link nodded and buried his face in Ganondorf's shoulder. Ganondorf's big hand rubbed his back. There was silence for a long moment. _

_ "Would you like to come with me to my office?" Ganondorf asked suddenly. "I'll just be doing boring paperwork, but you can stay as long as you want." _

_ Link nodded and threw his arms around Ganondorf's neck. Ganondorf huffed. "You're welcome. It's hardly a problem." _

_ Link wound up falling asleep in Ganondorf's lap that day, curled up like a cat, his face pressed into a broad stomach. Ganondorf watched the boy sleep, gently stroking his golden-brown hair out of his eyes. "One day," he whispered, "you will be a royal guard and your father will be proud." _

_ The words filtered into Link's half-conscious mind, curling his lips into a sleepy smile. He snuggled closer to Ganondorf and relaxed. _

_Link dodged a swing from Ganondorf's sword, rolling over the rubble of a fallen column. Ganondorf growled and charged him before he could get up, sending him flying into the steps at the base of the throne. Link used the sword to pull himself up, stumbling into his knees before he managed to stand. He couldn't help being reminded of the last time he had knelt here, his resolve cracking just a bit more._

_ Ganondorf and Link stood together at Zelda's coronation ceremony, watching as she bent her head to receive the crown. _

_ Ganondorf rested a hand on Link's shoulder. "She will be a good queen." _

_ Link looked up and smiled. Ganondorf smiled back. "And that's why she'll need you more than ever now." _

_ Link blinked in confusion. What? _

_ "Link?" Zelda called. "Please come up here." _

_ Link glanced back at Ganondorf, but just received a gentle nudge forward. "Go on." _

_ He walked forward, remembering to lift his head and straighten up. He came to a stop before Zelda and knelt. Zelda looked out over the crowd. "For my first act as queen, I choose to knight Link, son of..." _

_ Her words blurred together, his mind unable to believe this was actually happening. He would be the princess' personal guard. His father would be proud indeed. **Ganondorf** was proud and that was all that mattered. _

_ "Do you agree to comply by these terms?" _

_ Link nodded. _

_ "Then rise, Sir Link." She tapped him with the sword; right shoulder, left shoulder and head. "Serve me well and never forget where your loyalty lies." _

_ He stood as the crowd clapped, his eyes seeking out Ganondorf, leaning back against the pillar, eyes bright and smiling. _

_Ganondorf growled at him, eyes dark. They were both tired, but it wasn't over, not yet. Miasma swirled around him, healing some of his wounds, purple fog with red smoke. Link wished he could grab a potion, but he had already used them all. He had two fairies left, but to use either now would be a waste._

_Looking back on it, he really should have realized something was wrong._

_Link knocked gently on the door to Ganondorf's office and opened it. Ganondorf was slumped over the desk, the candles burning low as he scribbled vigorously on a stack of parchment. "Who is it?" he snarled. "I'm busy."_

_Link stepped around to the side of Ganondorf's desk and waved. Ganondorf sighed. "Link. What is it?"_

_Link handed over a scroll, sealed with red wax. Ganondorf took it and read it over. "Again? I've already told her I can't..." He huffed and scribbled out an answer. "Take this back to her."_

_Link nodded and turned to go, only to be stopped by Ganondorf's hand on his wrist. "Link, wait." Link looked down. "Zelda has her own messengers. Why are you delivering this?"_

_Link sighed and rolled his eyes, arching an eyebrow at Ganondorf._

_"Right." Ganondorf looked sheepish. "You haven't seen me in a while. You volunteered."_

_Link crossed his arms and tapped his foot, inviting Ganondorf to explain with a tilt of his head._

_Ganondorf dropped his quill and turned his chair, pulling Link into a hug and ducked his head to bury it in Link's stomach. Startled, Link patted Ganondorf's head, unsure what to do. "Link, I'm so sorry. The riots in Gerudo Town have been such a mess. I don't know what's going on. Even the Yiga are acting up and they've been silent for decades. I've been overworked, but that's no excuse to ignore you."_

_Link gently pushed Ganondorf's head away and lifted his head so he would look at him. When golden eyes met his, he smiled._

_Ganondorf sighed. "Of course you forgive me just like that." He leaned his forehead against Link's. "Your affections are always so easily given."_

_Link didn't know what to do. Ganondorf sounded... solemn. Almost mournful._

_Ganondorf pulled back slowly, his touch lingering. "You should go back to Zelda." **Stay.** "She needs you." **Not as much as I do.**_

_Link lingered, unsure. His hand smoothed down part of the unkempt mane, marveling at how soft it still was._

_"Link, go." **Please.**_

_Link bowed and pressed a kiss to the back of Ganondorf's hand, wishing he could speak, could help, could do something to ease the pressure. The office door closed behind him with a heavy **thunk** that rang with finality._

_Ganondorf fell back. He was wide open, chest heaving, sword hanging at his side.Tears rolled down Link's cheeks. He took a step back. Two. He couldn't do this. He couldn't. He wanted to scream, to ask **why** , to beg Ganondorf to come back, because it couldn't have been a lie, it couldn't have all meant nothing. But he couldn't speak._

_With a cry, he lunged forward. The Master Sword parted Ganondorf's armor like paper, sinking into his chest and protruding from his back. Ganondorf's cry scraped his ears and rent his heart to ribbons in his chest. Funny. After how hard Ganondorf had tried to kill him, this was what brought him to his knees._

_Ganondorf collapsed and Link was instantly at his side, sobbing soundlessly. This wasn't worth being free. This was too much._

_"Link!" Oh, Zelda was awake. "Seal him! Now!"_

_"Link..." Ganondorf sounded more like the man Link used to know, the miasma coiling above him. "It's okay."_

_Squeezing his eyes shut, Link stood and pulled the sword out of Ganondorf's chest. Squaring his shoulders, he raised the blade skyward, watching as it was suffused with holy energy. He slashed it down._

_Ganondorf mouthed one word before shattering, the shards of him joining the miasma above him as it was blasted away._

_Link sheathed the sword and stepped back, barely registering Zelda as she ran forward and wrapped her arms around him, babbling nonsense about ‘hero’ and ‘grateful’. He couldn't hear her. It didn't matter._

_The last word Ganondorf had said was "sorry."_

Link jolted awake with a gasp. He was panting heavily and his body was damp with sweat. Even his face was wet.

No, he realized, lifting a hand to his cheeks. Those were tears. He had been crying in his sleep.

He rolled to try and get up, only to be stopped by an arm around his waist. "Link? Where are you going? It's not even dawn."

Link forced a teasing note to his voice. "What, do you want to follow me to the bathroom, Ganon? Or do you want me to pee in the bed? Kinky as that is, I think Zelda would have something to say about that."

"Shut up, Link," Ganondorf muttered, but let him go. "Fine, go pee. Just don't wake Zelda on your way out and come back this time."

Link slithered out of bed, avoiding Zelda on his other side. Sometime during the night, he'd ended up between them. Huh.

He didn't go to the bathroom.

Standing outside the wooden door, he stared at the wall, wishing he had just stayed in bed. He should go back.

"Stop it," he told himself. "You're being a coward. Bad hero. Is this how the bearer of Farore's Triforce is supposed to act?"

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door. Barely a second later, it opened. "Link?" Dark said. "What — _oh_."

Link practically collapsed into his brother's arms. "Bad dream," he managed. "Please."

"Shh, shh, shh," Dark whispered. "I've got you Link."

Link clung to Dark, sniffling. Like him, Dark was shirtless, but unlike him, Dark's skin was cool. It felt soothing against his palms and he snuggled closer.

"Link? Do you need to examine me?"

Link shook his head.

"Do you need me to get Sheik?"

Head shake.

"Do you need to go outside?"

Link sighed. "No. Just... I can't."

"That bad?" Dark sighed. "Alright, Link. You know how we do this. I say a color and you tell me what it means. Ready?"

"Yes."

"Red."

"Red. Sparks in the sky, with a red moon and monsters. Targeting lasers, poised to fire. Blood that looks wrong somehow, too bright. Scales and a bright smile to go with them. The inside of a castle, choked with miasma. Bright eyes that send out monsters until you shoot them. The clothes of a Great Fairy and the glow of magnets and metal. And... Eyes. Eyes of a friend that became a liar and eyes of an enemy, who became so much more."

Dark took a deep breath. "Okay. Yeah. Clearly that wasn't enough. Let's keep going. Orange."

"Orange. Lava, with a lizard that swims like a fish. A shield that protects from falling rocks and swords. The color bleeding through a metal monster with too many legs. A fish, easy to cook and tasty. Armor and a man dressed in woman's clothes. "

Dark carded his fingers through Link's hair. "Good. Much better. Yellow?"

"Yellow. Zelda's hair and Goron skin. A helmet with lightning and lightning itself, exploding in a circle around me. The stripe around an orb. The color of an unfinished shrine. Electric mushrooms and angry Lizalfos. Blobs that fry you and sand. Stone statues, a dragon and murderous lion men."

"Well, that one escalated." Dark muttered. "You go from talking about Zelda's hair to murderous lion men. Green."

"Green. The souls of my friends. An old tunic no one remembers is mine. Leaves, everywhere. Koroks that won't leave me alone and the Great Deku Tree, loud and slow. Lizalfos that hide in plain sight with poor camouflage and seem to think they're invisible. Green rupees, in every pot I break. "

"I don't even know what that was. Blue."

"Blue. Water and armor crafted with delicacy and love. A healing hand and a Zora whose life was cut too short. A tunic that's wrong, but everyone cheers for the Champions, even as it all falls to my shoulders again. Eyes that hate, eyes that don't understand, mechanical eyes that flash laser beams, eyes that learn to love and my eyes, always the same. Strange liquid that brought me back to life. The whisper of a sword that has long been silent. Ice, chilly and broken, shattered into shards and melting."

"No blue. Got it. Purple."

"Purple. The pommel of a sword and secrets everyone wants reburied."

Dark blinked. "That's it? Okay. Black."

"Black. Feathers and the shafts of arrows. Old chains and broken bars. Darkness without torches and stones. Armor and seals, and empty pits where you can't see the bottom. The ruins of old places and empty thrones. Horses as fast as the wind, but hard to hold on to. Rito that sing and open the way for a shrine. Cooking pots that are in the most ridiculous locations and a rock that you have to stand on naked."

Dark snorted. "White."

"White. Snow, falling everywhere. Bright light, the first thing I see as I wake. An old man's beard, an old woman's hair and the hair of the Sheikah. Zelda's voice and Zelda's dress and... " Link pulled back. "And the color of your hair."

Dark smiled. "Welcome back, Link. Good job."

Link nuzzled into him. "Thank you, Dark. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Chat with your friends and be a sad noble orphan." Dark ruffled his hair. "SpeaKing of which, you should probably get back to them."

"Yeah." Link disengaged himself from his brother's arms. "Still. Thank you."

Dark watched his brother walk away, knowing he would find him the next morning half under Zelda and half on top of Ganondorf. "Anytime, little brother."


End file.
